Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Switcheroo
by Wesnprogamat
Summary: We all know that Harry got the Stone from the mirror... or did he? That stone travelled through 4 known hands and could have been (and likely was) switched 9 times or more without those not in the know being the wiser. And they had reason too... Rated T to be safe even though it is probably K.
1. Chapter 1

I own nassing, NASSING!

The list

Flamel (twice)

Gringotts

Hagrid

Dumbledore

The Mirror

Fred and George? (The runners)

Flamel A.

Flamel, as we all know was immortal and he had credited his immortality to said Stone. However he was already effectively immortal _before_ he was credited with making the Stone. wiki/Nicolas_Flamel. Even by Wizarding standards 250 years old is pushing it, especially with such a violent time, assuming of course that since the legend came around in the 1700's, he made it around that time. It would have been too easy for him to have died. So, said stone might have been fake to begin with, as a means to draw others away from the source of his immortality.

Ideas include: White Squirrel's Philosopher's Red Herring- Polyjuice potion (Rated K)

Kathryn518's I'm still Here- Phoenix tears+lethal magical poison+Soul magic (Rated M)

Flamel B.

Flamel, even if he had created a real stone AND said stone was his source of immortality, why should he give HIS stone away to some young upstart Albus Dumbledore? Dumbledore studied alchemy with him, but to trust him with Flamel's and his wife's life? Logically, he wouldn't. Also, he should know Gringotts, if they had suspected him of having a stone that would break the economy, they would demand it and ignore the consequences of two really old wizards dying. Why should he die for the sake of a group of people who hate his kind? Remember, they had gone through a series of wars with the wizards before today, and still were mistrustful of them. He has even less reason to hand it over to the goblins over Dumbledore. More than likely, he handed a fake stone over to Gringotts, but one that would pass muster.

Gringotts, the Wizarding Bank run by Goblins

Gringotts, as we know runs the wizarding economy, and they have a pronounced dislike for wizards. Handing over a stone like that, which would have the high risk of ruining the economy which they are responsible for, which is their only responsibility, to Hagrid, a wizard, on a wizard's orders? Laughable.

Furthermore, they clearly had greater security features than those shown for said vault (see Deathly Hallows for greatest effect)-again, why wouldn't they protect said stone with the most stringent of security features? It is not like Flamel was a poor person. He should have been able to pay for them with ease. Even if he didn't, Gringotts would happily take the tab, to keep their control over the economy.

Hagrid

Hagrid, while being the least likely to think about switching, he also would be most likely to follow Dumbledore's orders. If Dumbledore said something like, "Take the stone from the vault, and get a rock of similar appearance," he would have probably done so without a second thought. For all we know, said Stone might have actually been in Hagrid's hut all the time. Who would suspect stupid, bumbling Hagrid, who clearly cannot keep a secret of hiding said stone? Except, it would be Dumbledore's genius. With the proper words Hagrid would not even know he was hiding said Stone for Dumbledore, just a very important rock. Or, you can go really far into the deep end of paranoia, and the way he acts is just an act...

Dumbledore

The very idea of Dumbledore is very contrasting depending on who you talk to. He is somewhere between an evil (or good) grand chessmaster, to a doddering, senile, old fool who somehow beat the second worst Dark Wizard of known time. However you think of him, remember: 1., he was at least a student of Flamel's Alchemy, known for helping Flamel, and so likely knew the value of said Stone. 2., he needed to protect said Stone from Riddle, and one single security feature under any idea of him is ridiculous. So, why put the real Stone in the mirror? He was Flamel's student, and a master at transfiguration. Why shouldn't he be able to make a passable fake? Likely as not, the Stone was never put into the mirror, but a fake. Where the real Stone would be, well I will leave that to you conspiracy theorists to sort through... Senile, or Grandmaster, it could be almost anywhere...

Mirror of Erised

The Mirror of Erised has only on two occasions given anything of substance. Once was a picture of Harry's Parents, and the other, a red stone. And even then... there are plausible reasons why it shouldn't. Now I am just speculating here on ways it could work, in line with the book, and if any are left out or unreasonable, review me to tell me why.

1\. The Mirror will hand out one fake copy of whatever you desperately desire, if you desire it and only it for nothing you would use it for.

2\. The Mirror was programmed to hand out the fake stone if you desperately desire it for no reason that it would be used. See Dumbledore.

3\. The Mirror is intelligent and likes having said Stone. But it must give out something, or Dumbledore would be suspicious... so...

4\. The Mirror could not have given the Stone, because it had used it up to enhance it's capabilities to actually providing something real, where it could.

The Twins (or some other trapspringer)

If the 3 (or perhaps he was thinking 4) students could reasonably get past all but Quirrel's defenses, why shouldn't the Twins, or other pranking genius of the day be able to get it. The first time they got through was probably the starting week. Because, them being teenagers, "Don't go to the 3rd floor corridor if you don't wish to die a gruesome death" is more often than not equivalent to say, "I dare you to totally explore the 3rd floor corridor." And yes, Fred and George were not only geniuses, they were powerful in their own right-(Ron was afraid of spiders, big, moving spiders for a reason, you know).

They also had Ron's possible expertise in chess if they so chose that route, had a passable knowledge (or more than passable depending on who you talk to) in Herbology, they were Beaters on the Quidditch Team, had the genetics of Charlie, their older brother, and Ron, their younger brother were both great Quidditch Players limited only by their quality of brooms and Ron's Nerves, and furthermore were excellent at improvising. The Cerberus Fluffy, the Devil's snare, the Key room, and the Chess Board, might have only had a fraction of a chance the first time around... leaving only the Troll, (My bet would be on them) and the Potions, (They had shown their aptitude in their trick sweets, and so might have been able to identify the potions or the spells blocking their way) and the Mirror.

Admittedly the Mirror, would have been their greatest challenge, as it was clearly an ancient artifact. That is until I remember a second ancient artifact that was bamboozled, See the Goblet of Fire. They might have gotten the Stone (If it had been there), and replaced it with a red rock, as a prank. These two were only known as the worst of the troublemakers, but they may not have been the only ones who could have.

As you can see the bigger wonder is not that the Stone was retrieved by Harry, or left with only one proper line of defense, it is the idea that Harry had the Stone at all, or even that it was destroyed.

For more ideas, let me know. If you are referencing a story, please include it's rating.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you Roserapier, and Himitara Rei for your ideas. Again, I own Nozzing, NOZZING!

Hogwarts  
Magic can make things behave oddly and even bestow at least a simulation of life. Just look at the Weasley's Ford Angelina. Hogwarts has been inudated in magic for centuries and generations. By this point it wouldn't be a surprise if it had developed some sense of consciousness. Hogwarts was built to be a school and sanctuary for its inhabitants; especially the children. So why wouldn't it be alarmed to see the headmaster bring in not one but 2 dangerous artifacts and at least 2 dangerously lethal beasts (Fluffy and the giant troll) into its domain and within easy access of the students (alohomora is a first-year spell)? Who knows how many students peaked into the third floor corridor and saw the ceberus? And then there's the mirror. That is a dangerous and dark thing to put in a school surrounded by volatile, stressed, and hormonal kids. We know Harry and Ron found it, but we don't know how long Dumbledore had left it where Harry could stumble over it. We also don't know if he took any precautions against anyone else encountering and becoming addicted to its enchantment. So maybe Hogwarts took the initiative and replaced the mirror and its contents with a replica. The replica would no longer be able to ensnare adults and the dangerous stone would be out of reach of that teacher with the very off-putting double aura.- Roserapier

I only suggest, it would be off-putting to ALL other teachers and not Quirrell, or the trap would not work.

And/or House elves  
House elves can be very creative in how they interpret their mandate to take care of the people/property they are bound to. Just look at Dobby and how he "protected" Harry. And they have a powerful magic that the wizards underestimate. The elves could have done the replacing (either on their own initiative or at the behest of Hogwarts) quite easily-Roserapier.

Hogwarts would be best put just after the Mirror of Erised, though it could be done just before, if you just assume that the Stone requiring such "persuasion" of the School was the important object. Likewise for the House elves.

Another Idea from Roserapier, though she didn't post it to me fully:

Fawkes

Fawkes, like Dumbledore, may have had good reason to eye the stone. We aren't told how the Stone and the Phoenix would interact with each other. We do know, however, that Phoenixes are usually associated with good, and that it could easily be said that the Mirror was addictive, and therefore bad. We also don't know the full extent of Dumbledore's mental link with said Phoenix, though it knew when it had been needed, and further it was implied that it understood speech twice: Once by Dumbledore, when he had said to Harry he told it to "die", so that it could be reborn, and when Harry was no where near it and was defending Dumbledore, who it is strongly implied (else he would more likely be evil) did not know where Harry was. We can also assume it has at least an empathetic link to those around us, since it knew Harry was in pain three times near it and proceeded to cry, including helping him speak about a painful event. So, combining these, we can logically conclude that usually Phoenixes are Good and that they would oppose what they would see as bad, though we don't know the extent. It could logically conclude that said Stone also if not causes, then encourages those "bad" feelings, even in his/her/its owner. Therefore, it should hide it from everyone who would be affected. However, Fawkes, could have felt before when its owner was missing something, that the owner felt "bad", and it wished to help. So, in compromise, get a fake and hide the real (once or twice, it doesn't matter).

This would put Dumbledore right before Fawkes. The New List...

Flamel (2)

Gringotts

Hagrid

Dumbledore

Fawkes

Mirror

Hogwarts

House Elves

Fred and George Weasley (or other trapspringers)

If you have other logical ideas of a switcheroo noun, let me know. I am not asking for thieves (nifflers and maybe Peeves), or planners (Centaurs, they never as far as we know had access to it), but if you give any logical of the three than I will consider putting them on the next chapter.

By the way, Nifflers, and Centaurs were also Roserapier's idea.


End file.
